Intervention
by Zanza8
Summary: Inspired by the third season anime episode, Ecstatic. Sanosuke and Megumi's son Sozo helps with Kenji's idea to get Yahiko to propose to Tsubame.
1. A Great Idea?

It was a gorgeous spring day and Kenji was sitting on the roof of the Kamiya Kasshin dojo, deep in thought. His best friend Sozo watched him with a mixture of excitement and trepidation-he knew that look. Kenji was getting an idea. Kenji's ideas were either brilliant or crazy, and it was sometimes hard to tell the difference until they were put into practice and caused some unfortunate consequence.

Kenji was twelve years old and Sanosuke's son Sozo was only seven but the boys were roughly the same height and weight. Kenji had inherited Kenshin's delicate build and red hair, although his hair was more of a deep mahogany and his eyes were grey. Long past his toddler stage of hating his father, Kenji considered that any idea that might make Kenshin smile was an especially good one to try and his happy-go-lucky personality was rarely discouraged.

Sozo had his mother's eyes, huge and dark, but his bronze skin and shaggy brown hair were all Sanosuke's and he promised to be even bigger than his father. He had a good share of his father's stubbornness as well. Sozo was more serious than Kenji and almost eerily perceptive. Although he usually went along with whatever his friend wanted to do, he had a tiresome habit of advising caution when something Kenji thought of seemed especially misguided.

Now Sozo winced when Kenji sat up straight and declared, "It's just not right that Uncle Yahiko hasn't asked Aunt Tsubame to marry him yet!"

"He's still pretty young, you know." Sozo wagged a finger. "Uncle Katsu and Aunt Tae aren't married yet either and you're not worried about them."

"Well, but Uncle Katsu is pretty old, Sozo. He's the same age as your dad-maybe that's too old to want to get married anymore."

"Thirty-two is pretty old," Sozo conceded. Then he frowned. "What about your dad? He's forty-one and him and your mom are married, Kenji."

"Yeah, but they've _been_ married for a long time," said the older boy. "They didn't _get_ married when they were ancient. Uncle Yahiko should hurry up!"

Sozo shrugged. "I don't see what you can do about it."

Kenji grinned. "I know exactly what to do about it."

"I was afraid of that," said Sozo glumly. "My dad says it's a bad idea to get mixed up in other people's love lives."

"We're not going to get mixed up in Uncle Yahiko's love life," said Kenji. "We're just going to give him a little help. I'm telling you, Sozo, I know what to do."

The younger boy looked at his friend suspiciously. "How do you know?"

"I heard my mom and dad talking about it." Kenji grinned. "It was their anniversary and they thought I was asleep…."

"You mean you were spying on them?" Sozo was torn between disapproval and fascination.

"No!" Kenji shook his head. "I got up to get a drink of water and I heard them talking about when my dad asked my mom to marry him."

Fascination won out. "What did they say?" asked Sozo with avid curiosity.

"I didn't hear all of it," Kenji confessed, "but my dad said something about a catfish, and then my mom said something about a ring."

"I don't know." Sozo looked dubious. "Don't you think that's a little sketchy to go on?"

"No, I don't." The redhead sounded supremely confident. "All we have to do is get a fish and a ring and Uncle Yahiko will be married to Aunt Tsubame before he knows it."


	2. Missing Students

"Kenshin, have you seen Kenji?"

The redhead looked up from the laundry. "Isn't he with you?"

Sanosuke shook his head. "No, and class was supposed to start five minutes ago. I've got the kids practicing, but Kenji was really excited about taking his test this week. I thought he'd be early, but he still hasn't shown up."

Kenshin frowned and wiped his hands. The Kamiya Kasshin dojo had become famous throughout Tokyo for being the only school to offer training in both swordsmanship and unarmed martial arts. Kenji took swordsmanship with both Kaoru and Yahiko and had moved up swiftly to the intermediate class, but Sozo had pulled ahead of him in hand-to-hand fighting. Sanosuke taught the unarmed fighting classes and Sozo had graduated to intermediate almost two months ago. Kenji had been practicing hard and was looking forward to testing this week to see if he was ready to move up out of the beginner's class. Where could he have gone?

"Mr. Sagara!"

Sano turned to see Takeo, his best pupil in the intermediate class, waving to him. "What is it?"

"We've run through the drills-do you want me to have them pair off?"

Sanosuke grinned ruefully at Kenshin. "Guess I'd better get back to the class before Kaoru decides to make Takeo the new teacher. If you see Kenji, send him along. I don't know if I'll have time to test him before the women's self-defense class, though."

"Don't worry about it," said Kenshin, returning to the laundry. "If Kenji can't get to class on time, he'll just have to test another day."

Sano nodded and followed Takeo inside. One side of the dojo had rows of swordsmanship students practicing with their shinai, the other side was strewn with big mats for his students to practice falls. His class stood before him, bowing, and he bowed back, then frowned. "Where's Sozo?" The boys looked down, shuffling their feet and avoiding Sanosuke's eyes, and he sighed. "Let me guess. He suddenly remembered something very important that couldn't wait." They all gave varying degrees of assent and Sano shrugged. "All right. We're going to start with some sparring-pair up in the following order…."

He moved around the class, correcting stances here and meting out praise there, all the while wondering with a faint disquiet just what Kenji and Sozo were up to this time.


	3. Of Catfish

Sozo shifted the heavy bucket in his hand. "It's your turn to carry the catfish, Kenji."

The redhead sighed. "It's only a little farther. Can't you make it?"

"Yes, I can, but it's your turn. You promised we'd take turns carrying it."

"All right!" Kenji took the bucket, smiling at the sight of the big fish. "He's a good one, isn't he?"

"Yeah, but you said we needed a ring too. Where are we going to get a ring?"

"Don't worry about it-I know just where to go."

The younger boy eyed his friend suspiciously as they reached the back gate of the dojo and crept through to hide the catfish in the storage shed. He was bursting with curiosity, but waited until they were back out in the street before asking, "Where are we going, Kenji?"

"To the circus."

"The circus!" Sozo's eyes widened. "You said we were going to get a ring."

Kenji smiled widely. "Just trust me, Sozo."


	4. And Brass Rings

The European-style circus had been enjoying such success in Tokyo that the owner, Richard Stanton, had decided to hold it over for another week. He strolled through the grounds now, smiling at the enchanted faces of children young and old flocking to see the sideshows outside the big tent. He peeked inside the tent and saw the lion tamer putting his cats through their paces while a tightrope walker rode a unicycle right over the cage. The audience seemed to be holding its collective breath, sighing in relief as the high wire artist made it across safely and waved to them. This was one of the things Stanton loved about the circus-in so many sports, the spectators seemed to enjoy the accidents and injuries at least as much as the game, but people who went to the circus were always rooting for the safety of the performers. Now the audience was applauding wildly as the lion tamer finished his act and exited the cage to bow to them side by side with the tightrope walker and Stanton walked on, a contented man.

He was especially pleased at the next sight to meet his eyes. Just before deciding to come to Japan, Stanton had invested in a small carousel, and he considered it one of the best ideas he had ever had. Nothing like it had ever been seen in this country and whole families flocked to ride on it. He stood for a moment watching in amusement as a small redheaded boy on a stationary horse reached vainly for the brass ring fastened to the canopy. The ring was only for show-in America carousels generally had a metal lever that swung out when the ride started and fed rings to the end of a wooden arm over the riders, who would try to grab a brass ring and win a free ride. Stanton would have liked to use the device on his carousel, but it frequently broke down and he didn't like to see children disappointed when they didn't even get a chance to try for a ring. He decided in the end just to have a single ring fixed permanently to the ride. This was the first time anybody had even noticed it.

Stanton's jaw dropped as the ride came around again. Another boy was mounted on the stationary horse and the redhead was seated on his shoulders. As they came up to the ring, the redhead reached again and with the advantage of height provided by his friend, he managed to seize it. It was fastened too firmly to be pulled loose and he clung to it, dangling from the canopy as the ride continued to turn and the other boy was jerked out from under him.

The dark-haired youngster jumped off the horse and ran to his friend. "Let go, Kenji!"

"I've almost got it, Sozo!"

The circus owner started towards them as the ring finally broke off and the redhead fell, landing on the other boy. He popped to his feet, holding the ring up as they ran off whooping in triumph.


	5. The Akobeko

Tsubame smiled widely as Yahiko came into the Akobeko. At twenty-three, the young man had reached his full height-not quite as tall as Sanosuke, but much more muscular than his friend's lean build. He was also very handsome, attracting stares and whispers from girls wherever he went, but Tsubame was not the jealous type. She knew Yahiko had been all hers since the day they met thirteen years ago and now as he caught sight of her, his radiant smile seemed to light up the restaurant.

He came up to her and took her hand, bending his head to give her a quick kiss. "Sorry I'm a little late for lunch."

Tsubame squeezed his hand. "That's all right-I'm always ready when you show up. There's a nice little booth in the corner and Tae just got some extra-special sake in."

"Sake for lunch?" Yahiko raised his eyebrows and Tsubame giggled.

"I don't think one cup would hurt."

"Maybe it won't hurt you," said Yahiko gruffly. "You're not the one who has to go back to the dojo and fight with shinai all afternoon. You just have to sit around and look pretty." He eyed her appreciatively.

Tsubame blushed, then gasped in amazement as they reached the booth. A bucket was set in the middle of the table and the two young people frowned as they saw it contained a very large and contented catfish. Tied to the handle was a small brass ring with a prominent note.

_To Tsubame from Yahiko_

The young woman raised her eyebrows and Yahiko shook his head, turning the bucket around and pulling the ring off. "Yahiko?"

"Don't look at me, Tsubame. I don't know anything about this. Now why would someone put a catfish and a ring…." His eyes widened and he spun around, searching the restaurant. His gaze settled on one corner and he beckoned sternly.


	6. Explanations

Kenji and Sozo stood shoulder to shoulder in the dojo yard, facing the adults on the porch. In addition to their parents and Yahiko and Tsubame, Ayame and Suzume were present, as well as a tall European man with a bemused expression.

Kenshin looked up and down to make sure everyone was present, then settled back and put on a serious expression.

"All right, let's hear it."

"It was all Kenji's idea," blurted Sozo.

"We figured that." Sanosuke fixed his son with a steely eye, praying that he wouldn't burst out laughing. Megumi seemed to know what he was feeling and poked him in the side hard enough to make him wince. He nodded to her and went on. "You know you're just as responsible, so one of you better start talking."

"Well, it _was_ my idea, Uncle Sano," said Kenji generously, "but it's really Uncle Yahiko's fault."

"My fault!" Yahiko looked startled. "How is it my fault…."

Kenshin held up a hand and Yahiko sputtered to a silence. "Go on, son."

"We just were trying to help Uncle Yahiko and Aunt Tsubame," said Kenji. He shot an annoyed look at the young man. "If you would just stop fooling around with Aunt Tsubame and ask her to marry you, we wouldn't have had to get involved in the first place."

"That's right," Sozo chimed in. "You're way too old to be waiting around, Uncle Yahiko. If you don't ask her pretty soon, you'll be as old as my dad and you won't even want to get married."

Deprived of speech, the adults were trading glances, indignation battling with mirth as they struggled to keep straight faces. Kaoru was the first one to recover her voice. "And what, may I ask, was the meaning of the catfish and the ring?"

"I heard you and dad talking about it," said Kenji eagerly. "You know, how he asked you to marry him and there was a fish and a ring."

"That is how a man asks a lady to marry him, right, Dad?" asked Sozo.

Sanosuke's face was beet-red as he fought to hold back his laughter. "Not usually, son."

"Oh." Sozo's face fell.

"Well, anyway, that's what I heard you talking about, Dad." Kenji carried on. "Uncle Yahiko goes to have lunch every day with Aunt Tsubame at the Akobeko, so we decided to put the fish and the ring at their favorite table where they would see it. We got the catfish from the clinic…."

"So you're the one who stole our lunch!" Ayame's eyes were wide as saucers.

"We didn't _steal_ it. We _borrowed_ it." Kenji shook his head. "We were going to bring it right back as soon as Uncle Yahiko got done with it."

"And the ring?" asked Megumi, with a glance at the circus owner, Mr. Stanton, who had not had such an entertaining afternoon for years.

"Well, we couldn't _buy_ a ring, because we didn't have any money," said Sozo, "but Kenji said he knew where we could get one free."

"All you had to do was pull it down off this man's carousel." Megumi turned to Stanton. "I'm very sorry."

"Don't be, ma'am." Stanton smiled. "That ring was just for show-the boys haven't done any harm. In fact…." He reached into his pocket. "I have passes for all of you to the circus. I'd be very pleased if you would all be my guests tomorrow." He handed the tickets to Megumi, accepted her thanks, and got up to leave. "And you boys have free rides on my carousel anytime the circus is in town." He left with a friendly wave.

"All right!" Kenji grinned at Sozo. "Did you hear that?"

"Yeah, free rides! And tickets too!" The younger boy grinned widely at his friend.

"Just a minute." Kenshin put up a hand and the boys gulped and turned back to the porch. "You both owe Uncle Yahiko and Aunt Tsubame an apology. And I want your solemn promise that you will never…." His lips twitched but he maintained his gravity. "Never, under any circumstances, combine a fish with a ring again."

"We're sorry, Uncle Yahiko. Sorry, Aunt Tsubame." Kenji and Sozo chorused their apology and the little redhead said, "We won't try to get you to marry each other anymore."

"Yeah, we promise," said Sozo solemnly.

Yahiko and Tsubame looked at each other and the young woman got up and went over to the boys. "That's all right. Why don't you go in the kitchen-I brought some snacks from the Akobeko." They ran off and the adults all sat for a moment, collecting their thoughts.

"Well," said Suzume briskly, "I guess we'd better get our catfish." She headed to the kitchen, Ayame in tow, Megumi behind them.

"And I'm going to get back to my students," said Kaoru.

Kenshin and Sanosuke watched their wives leave. "I have some students too." Sano stood up and stretched, then followed Kaoru.

"I'm going to get started on the cleaning," Kenshin sighed as he walked away.

Left in possession of the field, Yahiko said heartily, "Well, at least that got straightened out. Those kids are really something, aren't they?" Tsubame said nothing and he fidgeted nervously. "I mean, thinking that we should get married…."

"Is it such a strange idea?" Tsubame's voice was very soft.

Yahiko's heart turned over. As much as he cared about Tsubame, the thought that she would actually consider him as a husband had never occurred to him. Now he wondered how he had gone so long without thinking about it. "Do you mean…." His voice faltered and he swallowed hard, then tried again. "Tsubame, do you mean you would be willing to marry me?"

She looked at him with a mixture of fondness and exasperation. "Of course I would, Yahiko. I love you. I've always loved you."

Yahiko's heart took off, racing so fast he felt dizzy. "I love you too, Tsubame." He put out his hand and pulled her close, bending his head to kiss her thoroughly before whispering, "Then you'll marry me?"

Tsubame felt a deep contentment as she gazed into Yahiko's eyes. "Whenever you want."

Around the corner of the dojo, Kenji pulled back and smiled triumphantly at Sozo. "What did I tell you? They're getting married!"

"I think that's _in spite_ of what we did, Kenji, not _because_ of what we did," said Sozo judiciously.

Kenji waved a hand, dismissing Sozo's comment. "Now all we have to do is get Uncle Katsu to propose to Aunt Tae."

The younger boy looked thoroughly alarmed. "We promised…."

"We promised not to get involved any more with Uncle Yahiko and Aunt Tsubame. We never said a word about Uncle Katsu and Aunt Tae."

Yahiko and Tsubame looked up as Sozo tore across the yard with Kenji in hot pursuit. "What do you suppose that's about?" asked the young woman.

Her fiancée rolled his eyes. "I have no idea, but I have a horrible feeling we'll find out sooner or later."


End file.
